AURORA KIDS TREATED TO PARTY IN PARK

Vicky Edwards Gehrt. Special To The TribuneCHICAGO TRIBUNE

She didn't drop into Phillips Park in Aurora using her umbrella, but Nancy Weiss did arrive Tuesday for tea wearing a Mary Poppins outfit, and the event, according to party-goers, was simply supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Sponsored by The Friends of Phillips Park, it was the social event of the season for the 8-and-younger set.

More than 30 children attended the Children's Tea Party in the Garden wearing fancy clothes, and once they arrived they could layer on some additional finery of white gloves, hats, beads, and other accessories provided by the Friends.

"We had some little top hats and ties too," said Weiss, who co-ordinated the free event. "But the boys didn't go for the dressup like the girls, although one boy finally did try them on."

The 7-year-old Friends group numbers 150 members who act as an advisory committee to the city's parks department.

"Our goal is to encourage improvement and updating of the park facilities and enhance the image of the park, which is about 250 acres," Weiss said.

The park, on Aurora's south side, features gardens, an 18-hole golf course, baseball fields, walking paths, a new aquatic center, a zoo for exotic animals, and Mastodon Lake.